Urea suddenly began coughing violently, the bowl of meat broth in her hand shaking so much the liquid nearly spilled. She hunched over, her face turning deep red, clearly choking badly.
"Mother!" Doflamingo immediately set down his utensils and rushed to Urea's side in three quick strides. He anxiously patted her back, his voice full of urgency. "Are you alright? Do you need some water?"
Rosinante and Homing also immediately put down their bowls and chopsticks, crowding around. "Mother, are you okay?" "Urea, how do you feel?" they asked in unison.
Urea tried to answer, but was wracked by another bout of violent coughing. "Cough... cough..." Her coughing grew more and more rapid, until suddenly, with a "Blergh—", she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
The bright red blood splattered on the floor, a shocking sight. "I... I..." Urea tried to speak, but could only manage a weak, breathy sound before falling unconscious.
"Urea!" "Mother!" Homing and the two boys cried out simultaneously, their faces etched with terror.
Enel stood to the side, muttering to himself, "Is this... the lamp running dry?"
"Afraid so," Inuarashi and Nekomamushi exchanged a heavy look and nodded silently. Urea's body trembled violently, blood continuously seeping from the corner of her mouth. Her gaze was growing unfocused, yet she still struggled to reach for her family's hands.
Doflamingo fell to his knees, his voice choking. "Mother... please don't leave us..."
Suddenly seeming to remember something, Doflamingo ran over to Kaido, bowed to him, and pleaded, "Please, go into town and find a doctor to save my mother. Please, I'm begging you."
"Please, save our mother," Rosinante said, directly running over and kneeling before Kaido.
"Wororororo. Wanting me to save her is fine, but why should I?" Kaido said, looking at the two before him.
"I see you're recruiting crewmates. If you can save my mother, I'll be your subordinate from now on," Doflamingo said, kneeling before Kaido and pressing his forehead to the deck floorboards.
"If you can save our mother, I'll do whatever you ask!" Rosinante also said to Kaido.
"Please, save Urea. You can even have my life if you want," Homing added, addressing Kaido.
"Wororororo. You're volunteering for this. If you dare betray me, I'll personally send your whole family to the afterlife," Kaido said to the Donquixote family, then turned to Enel. "Enel, bring that thing."
"That thing... You're not going to find a doctor?" Homing asked Kaido.
"In her condition, only the world's best doctor would offer any hope. Otherwise, we have to rely on a Devil Fruit's power," Kaido stated flatly.
Hearing this, Homing understood. As a former Celestial Dragon, he naturally knew about Devil Fruit effects, though fruits with healing abilities were rare. He wondered which fruit Kaido was referring to.
The moment Kaido finished speaking, Enel materialized before him as lightning. In his hand now was a fruit with spiral patterns—the Chiyu Chiyu no Mi, obtained on Green Bit.
Kaido took the Chiyu Chiyu no Mi and placed it before Doflamingo and Rosinante. "This is the Chiyu Chiyu no Mi. It grants the eater the ability to heal certain injuries and illnesses. Which of you will eat it to save your mother?"
Upon hearing the Devil Fruit's power was to heal others, Doflamingo hesitated for a fleeting instant. After all, the two years on this island had taught him that in these seas, power was everything.
But it was only an instant. Doflamingo then reached out to take the fruit.
However, another hand seized the Devil Fruit just before his. Rosinante grabbed it and, without a second thought, stuffed the entire fruit into his mouth and swallowed it down. "Rosinante!" Doflamingo cried out in shock, his voice a mix of disbelief and a hint of anger.
Rosinante wiped the fruit residue from his mouth with the back of his hand, his gaze fixed determinedly on his mother on the sickbed. "Now, I will save you." He walked steadily towards Urea, trying to channel the new power within him. Gradually, a soft green light began to glow from his palm, as if pulsating with the rhythm of life. Instinct guided him to gently place his glowing hand over his mother's heaving chest.
A miracle began to unfold. Urea's ragged, rapid breathing gradually evened out, and her deathly pale complexion slowly regained color. Meanwhile, fine beads of sweat broke out continuously on Rosinante's forehead. His breathing grew labored, clearly expending a tremendous amount of stamina.
"Huff—" Rosinante finally couldn't hold on any longer, staggering back a few steps, panting heavily. Homing hurried over to support him. "Rosinante, are you alright?"
"Father, I'm fine," Rosinante forced a smile, his voice weak but filled with hope. "Mother's condition has improved. With a few more treatments, she's sure to recover completely."
Homing, overcome with emotion, pulled his son into a tight hug, his voice choked. "That's wonderful... Thank you so much, Rosinante..."
Standing to the side, the tense expression on Doflamingo's face also gradually relaxed, complex emotions flickering in his eyes under the lamplight.
"So this is the Chiyu Chiyu no Mi? Its healing power is incredible," Enel exclaimed in awe.
"Wororororo, that's exactly the effect I wanted. Kids, your good days are here," Kaido laughed heartily.
"What? It can't be!" Inuarashi was the first to realize what Kaido was implying, looking at him with a face full of dread.
"That's right. With this kid around from now on, I won't have to hold back during your training. As long as you don't die on the spot, the Chiyu Chiyu no Mi's power should be able to heal you right up," Kaido stated bluntly.
Hearing this, Enel, Inuarashi, Nekomamushi, and the others paled dramatically, their faces ashen. The shape of their future days was now all too easy to imagine.
***
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